New Scam?

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Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 9:36 pm

Hey all, I'm new here, but have been lurking for a while. I've never seen this here and would like to have your opinions.

Quick background:
My not-so-computer-literate parents thought about setting up a guest house (bed and breakfast kind of thing) in an annex to our house a few months ago. They never got the guest house running, but I suspect one of them posted their mutual email address somewhere alongside a comment or advertisement of sorts for the quest house.

This is the second email they received with exactly the same format, only the names and dates changed:

Quote:

Subject: Reservation for honey moon........................

Greetings,
We want to book for honeymoon trips, the Date of arrival 15th OCTOBER and they will depart on 29th OCTOBER 2007, They are 4 couples coming for thire honeymoon for the duration of 14 night stay, ok.
1. Let me know the total cost for in 4 single rooms for 14 night stay, if the date is ok with you. And also if you accept credit card for payment?.
2. Total cost for the accommodation of 4 couples for the duration of 14 nights stay. do get back to me with the requirements as stated above.
Regards
Engr.Mark Hood..

Needless to say, my folks replied with a friendly "we do not actually run a guest house any more, thanks and sorry" kind of message.

I checked the IP-address in the header and it comes up as this at www.ip-adress.com:

Quote:

IP address location & IP address info:
IP address: 213.255.199.40
IP country: Nigeria
IP address state: Nassarawa
IP address city: Anambra
IP latitude: 7.266700
IP longitude: 7.400000
ISP: SkyVision Global Networks
Organization: Henik International Ltd

Now I don't want to jump up and yell SCAM! every time we get an email from Nigeria, but this really looks like one. Anyone else ever had something similar before?

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 9:39 pm

Its a scam. The scammer sends a fake cheque to cover the cost of the rooms, then has to cancel and asks for a refund via WU or bank transfer.

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 9:40 pm

ah, crafty lads. Thanks for the reply!

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 9:42 pm

They run the same type of scam on daycare providers, claiming that they are coming to wherever the vic is and will need someone to care for their children. Many many victims have fallen for these ploys.

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 9:51 pm

Engr.Mark Hood wrote:

We want to book for honeymoon trips....... Total cost for the accommodation of 4 couples for the duration of 14 nights stay.....

I guess he's engineering a mass wedding and honeymoon for these couples. They must be close. Can I be a fly-on-the-wall at your parents' guest house?

Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2007 7:14 am

The request to make a card payment may be from a stolen CC, but the chances are that the scammer will have some problems in making a payment with it and will offer to pay by check.

The chances are that the check will be more than expected ... they will add on things like travel expenditure which they will be asked to pass on to a third party by Western Onion. ....The carrot is that your 'not-so-computer-literate parents' will be 'allowed' to keep their part plus 10% or so for their trouble ..... but their trouble will be when the check comes bouncing back and they find themselves liable for the whole amount.

Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2007 8:30 am

Quote:

Subject: Reservation for honey moon........................They are 4 couples coming for thire honeymoon for the duration of 14 night stay, ok.

Quote:

1. Let me know the total cost for in 4 single rooms for 14 night stay

That looks like some honeymoon they're planning!!!!!